Matthews on the Cover of EA Sports NHL22

Auston Matthews will be the first player in league history to appear twice on the EA Sports NHL cover in three years. It was announced today in a teaser trailer that Matthews will be featured on the 2022 version of the game.

Matthews was previously on the cover for NHL20. He is the third player in history to appear on the cover twice, joining Alex Ovechkin ('07, '21) and Jonathan Toews ('11, '16).

Auston Matthews 🤝 @EASPORTSNHL covers
#NHL22 | #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/7WubwFtEx7
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) August 19, 2021

Selecting Matthews for the cover gives the brand a wide swath of appeal. As The Athletic's Allan Mitchell aptly described in this tweet:

Auston Matthews on EA cover is about the widest possible appeal across as many major population bases as possible. Matthews plays for TML and he's an American. If they could slap a Rangers jersey on him? Music! This isn't an attempt to insult McDavid, it's marketing.
— Lowetide (@Lowetide) August 19, 2021

Last year, Matthews led the league in goals with 41 in 52 games. He recently had successful wrist surgery after experiencing some discomfort during off-ice training earlier this month. He is recovering and expected to be ready to go by training camp.

Matthews played the bulk of the season with the wrist injury. Head coach Sheldon Keefe admitted that he had to adjust his usage of the player as a result.

The Maple Leafs kick off the regular season on October 13 at home against the Montreal Canadiens.